Rescued husky back with rightful owner

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Canada the husky was calm as Prince Albert firefighters lifted her off the train bridge. (Prince Albert Fire Department/Facebook)

It turns out the husky that needed to be rescued from a train bridge in Prince Albert was a missing pet — but the dog is now back with its rightful owner, Ray Rishcynski.

The dog was at about the halfway point on the bridge when it froze, too scared to move. Members of the Prince Albert fire department were called and were able to carry the dog to safety in a rescue basket.

They then gave the dog to a woman who identified herself as the owner and said the dog's name was Baby Girl.

But the fire department then heard from another person, Rishcynski, who called to say the dog was actually his and he wanted it back.

He was directed to the city and a bylaw enforcement officer helped return the animal to the right home.

The mix up became evident when the story of the dog rescue was posted online along with a photo.

Rishcynski said his daughter saw the picture and immediately recognized the family dog, actually named Canada, which was missing since Sunday.

"If it wasn't for that, we either maybe wouldn't have found her or it maybe would've taken a lot longer because that definitely gave me a trail to start," Rishcynski told CBC News Thursday. "It was kind of odd that she showed up on the picture like that, and it was nice to close up the story the way it closed up."

There was no doubt, he said, that the dog was his.

"Pets are almost like kids where you can recognize your kid," he said.

Rishcynski said he thinks the dog got of their yard after a pizza delivery woman left the gate open. The family had been searching for Canada without any success.

He said he was not interested in pursuing the person who took the dog from the rescuers.

"My wife thinks people can steal a dog," he said. "I like to see people better than that, and I'm thinking kids will take a dog. So I keep thinking this is a girl, a younger girl."